This one is more abstract and one that I'd readily point to when I was an atheist and it is a good point to fixate upon because it really does come out of nowhere and with very little context. It is almost unanimously agreed upon that this passage pertains to the authority Elisha represented - granted, I believe this reaches deeper into a context that is recurring within the old testament where younger generations grow resentful and contest this authority and are very often cursed having done so, going back to the curse of Ham - respect of one's elders and of culture is of particular emphasis. I believe Judges details some of this progressive trend towards resentment aswell. Worse things than bears have come to devour those who hated tradition and law, especially in those times.
God within the old testament is very intermeshed with worldly circumstance, nation, heritage, and the transcendental sublime; Jesus' appearance shifted the occulus to the latter.
I am someone who simply lives the truth of the word and it took a long time to get to this point.
I still believe that the scientific abstractions are very useful in explaining natural phenomena, but my beliefs are also interconnected with my own admittedly idiosyncratic understandings pertaining the germ of language as a living entity, a self-decoding reality, an almost kabbalistic understanding of our simulacrums through our technological advancements, the meta primordial soup of ergregoriac super organisms, and the true mystical Christ-body and its transcendental singularity within the event of Jesus, etc.
it really does come out of nowhere and with very little context.
This is the key to the passage.
It's easily understandable if you realize it does NOT come out of nowhere, which requires understanding the context.
I'll respect your choice to remain ignorant because if you wanted to know, this is easily knowable. For a processed atheist it's simply unimportant. OP is off his rocker to even try to address this.
I'll respect your choice to remain ignorant because if you wanted to know, this is easily knowable.
You dastardly agent of synchronicity, I have been lazy and wanton. Back through the old testament I go, though to my "processed atheist" eyes, it seemed like a precarious thing to include among everything Elisha would go on to do. As I saw it, it was a transfer of authority and an illustration of exactly that and the general unfaithfulness among the kings and the people throughout. What were the two kingdoms of israel and judah if not children before bears?
Although the age is determined by language and can't be discovered in English.
Which translation do you recommend?
Their taunting phrase was saying if Elisha was really a Prophet, he would have already ascended into heaven in a chariot of fire like Elijah did.
Admittedly I have set the old testament down for a long time, and I realize combing over this that I was reading the NIV iteration - which makes no mention of this but instead illustrates them as saying "Get out of here baldy!". Upon checking NASB, I saw your case and point.
I don't feel I veered off too far from this in later posts, since this does recurr in its various ways, but this is a detail that is still important and I am shocked that it doesn't make its way in some other translations.
Is it? Give reading the whole thing a try. Turn your back on God and you will be hunted by the lion and the lamb - this is a lesson that repeats itself over and over throughout the old testament.
The moral seems to be along the lines of - "those with superficial understandings of God's guidance shouldn't play around bears, for they will devour even the innocent among you".
And pray tell, who was cast out to the wilderness once more to be hunted by the lion, the lamb, and all beast bearing crests after those resentful children of israel turned their backs to the Lord their God and mocked his authority yet again when they flayed his skin and thrust a hateful spear into his side?
It was their generations onward - their children and their children's children, condemned to scurry the nations of Christendom and foreign gods like a hoard of rats being chased from one hole to another hunted all the same.
This one is more abstract and one that I'd readily point to when I was an atheist and it is a good point to fixate upon because it really does come out of nowhere and with very little context. It is almost unanimously agreed upon that this passage pertains to the authority Elisha represented - granted, I believe this reaches deeper into a context that is recurring within the old testament where younger generations grow resentful and contest this authority and are very often cursed having done so, going back to the curse of Ham - respect of one's elders and of culture is of particular emphasis. I believe Judges details some of this progressive trend towards resentment aswell. Worse things than bears have come to devour those who hated tradition and law, especially in those times.
God within the old testament is very intermeshed with worldly circumstance, nation, heritage, and the transcendental sublime; Jesus' appearance shifted the occulus to the latter.
I am someone who simply lives the truth of the word and it took a long time to get to this point.
I still believe that the scientific abstractions are very useful in explaining natural phenomena, but my beliefs are also interconnected with my own admittedly idiosyncratic understandings pertaining the germ of language as a living entity, a self-decoding reality, an almost kabbalistic understanding of our simulacrums through our technological advancements, the meta primordial soup of ergregoriac super organisms, and the true mystical Christ-body and its transcendental singularity within the event of Jesus, etc.
Yes.
Get used to leftymeme length posts, I will start a fucking substack in your comments section if that hamsterwheel is cooerced to move.
This is the key to the passage.
It's easily understandable if you realize it does NOT come out of nowhere, which requires understanding the context.
I'll respect your choice to remain ignorant because if you wanted to know, this is easily knowable. For a processed atheist it's simply unimportant. OP is off his rocker to even try to address this.
You dastardly agent of synchronicity, I have been lazy and wanton. Back through the old testament I go, though to my "processed atheist" eyes, it seemed like a precarious thing to include among everything Elisha would go on to do. As I saw it, it was a transfer of authority and an illustration of exactly that and the general unfaithfulness among the kings and the people throughout. What were the two kingdoms of israel and judah if not children before bears?
It's really much simpler than that.
Elisha had nothing to do with it.
The "children" involved were at least 13 years old, and maybe as old as 32.
Their taunting phrase was saying if Elisha was really a Prophet, he would have already ascended into heaven in a chariot of fire like Elijah did.
God said we'll see about that ...
Read through it to get context and see if you get anything different. Although the age is determined by language and can't be discovered in English.
Which translation do you recommend?
Admittedly I have set the old testament down for a long time, and I realize combing over this that I was reading the NIV iteration - which makes no mention of this but instead illustrates them as saying "Get out of here baldy!". Upon checking NASB, I saw your case and point.
I don't feel I veered off too far from this in later posts, since this does recurr in its various ways, but this is a detail that is still important and I am shocked that it doesn't make its way in some other translations.
Cry more, leftist.
Is it? Give reading the whole thing a try. Turn your back on God and you will be hunted by the lion and the lamb - this is a lesson that repeats itself over and over throughout the old testament.
The moral seems to be along the lines of - "those with superficial understandings of God's guidance shouldn't play around bears, for they will devour even the innocent among you".
And pray tell, who was cast out to the wilderness once more to be hunted by the lion, the lamb, and all beast bearing crests after those resentful children of israel turned their backs to the Lord their God and mocked his authority yet again when they flayed his skin and thrust a hateful spear into his side?
It was their generations onward - their children and their children's children, condemned to scurry the nations of Christendom and foreign gods like a hoard of rats being chased from one hole to another hunted all the same.